An Appeal for a Central Fund
The Tenth Congress urgently recommended all Zionists to support the Administration by annual voluntary contributions, and expressed the hope that an energetic agitation on behalf of these contributions would be conducted not only by the Federations but also by every individual Zionist. The object of this Congress momentary was not simply to put an end to a momentary financial distress; on the contrary, the inevitable necessity had long become evident of creating a source of revenue which would provide a secure and adequate financial basis for the work of the Central Administration for all time.
At the meeting of the Actions Committee held on November 22-24, 1910, it was resolved that "whilst the Shekel shall be retained as an obligatory for securing the right to vote in Congress elections, a Central fund shall be founded to meet the needs of the organization."
At the following meeting of the Actions Committee, on April 27-28, 1911, this resolution was again adopted in the following form:
"The Actions Committee declares it incumbent upon every Zionist to pay an annual contribution besides the Shekel to the organization and imposes upon the Federations the duty of taking in hand immediately the collection of these contributions."
For the purpose of examining the various proposals and suggestions regarding the financial question, a Finance Commission was appointed, which, after a thorough consideration of all proposals submitted, passed the following resolution:
"The creation of a central fund appears to be the most suitable method in which the financial needs of the Actions Committee can be covered as such a Fund affords the possibility of furnishing the Actions Committee with a constant and regular income."
In order to carry out this oft-repeated resolution, we have now taken in hand the establishment of the Central Fund. We believe that the support of this Fund is at the present moment the most important
task for our Federations, and we therefore expect that the self-sacrifice and sense of duty our fellow-Zionists will manifest themselves in a fruitful accomplishment of this task.
Fellow - Zionists! To go about with a collecting-box has always been an unpleasant and scarcely dignified occupation, upon which the Zionists Executive has had to spend time and energy. We _ should certainly prefer to occupy ourselves exclusively with the great questions whose solution constitutes our real wrok. But this work demands considerable resources. We have to carry out a number of Congress Resolutions; we have to do a great deal in the direction of developing existing institutions and creatng much that wil be new. In addition to the informative work in the Orient, which is intended more for the outside world, and which we are constantly endeavoring to further by systematic activity, we have also to attend to the cultural work which shall secure for us the lead in Palestinian and Oriental Jewry. We dare not neglect the cultivation of the highest treasures of our people in the illusory hope that things can develop of themselves. The Tenth Congress clearly recognized that only hy dint of a comprehensive and systematic activity can Zionism make a renewed advance and secure its due and long desired influence upon Jewish national education in the Orient,
We have undertaken our work with a full appreciation of all that it involves, and in order that we may discharge it in an efficient and fruitful manner we require a secure financial basis, as the lack of means stifles every project in the bud. Zionism, conscious of its strength and its value, must be ready for new work every day, and the possibility of such work must always be guaranteed by our organization. For whosoever wishes the end must also furnisn the means to the end.
The proposal to tax our institutions and funds in aid of our organization was rejected by Congress on the ground that we ought not to diminish the resources of